Not The Only One
by RTNightmare
Summary: A Continuation off of "A Destiny For Two"! It's good and we get some insight on Buck's past! R&R plz! Thanks! Character c Their Owners
1. Chapter 1

**Not The Only One**

**An Ice Age Sequel**

***Jinney**

Chapter 1

Buck's eyes were literally bulging as big as they could get, which was very big. He seemed paralyzed to the spot, his mouth hanging. I was getting worried if he would ever wake up. Did the news I just told him…was it bad to him because he didn't want it? I hoped that that was not the case.

I waved my hand in front of his face. "Hello? Buck? You there?" He blinked shook his head. "Repeat…" My eye twitched slightly. "I'm, well y'know, like I said…I…I…I'm pregnant…" He flinched. "Really." It wasn't really a question. It was more of a statement. I nodded.

He nodded, turned, and walked away. I felt depressed. I was afraid of this. I knew I should give him time to take this in. I walked the opposite direction as my mate. I knew he'd be at his favorite spot near the lake, so I went back home, to my herd.

I entered the camp area and sat down near a fire that had been recently made by my five siblings. Manny, who was also there, cocked his head to the side and looked at me through the corner of his eye before he said in a half whisper, "He didn't take it too good, did he?" I shrugged. "He was surprised, but I don't think he suspected it. I'm not sure what he's truly thinking about the matter."

.~.~.~.~.

The night came closer and I tucked in my siblings for bed. Buck was still not back yet, so I was getting worried. Sadness crawled into my heart and mind and I closed my eyes, letting a tear drop down my cheek.

"Ay." I jumped and turned, wiping my eyes. "Buck!" He had a knowing yet sad expression on his face. "I'm sorry, Jade…I jus' didn't think…I don' know what ta think really…" I nodded and turned around. "It's my fault. I…I feel now that I forced you into it. I'm sorry." I sniffed but almost smiled when I felt his arms around me.

"How long…?" He whispered. I turned slightly, "It's only just started about two months ago." He nodded and held me closer. Buck had never been much of a romance guy until now. I guess I opened the part in him, which contained his love. But I knew that if he really cared, he would accept what was going on.

.~.~.~.~.

Later that night, I was nearly asleep when I felt two furry hands caress my cheek and lower stomach. I opened my emerald eyes to look into Buck's shimmering sapphire ones. "Sorry…" I shook my head. "I wasn't quite asleep yet, so it's all good."

He helped me to sit up. I stared into his face, trying to identify his emotions through his expression. I couldn't. I sighed, "You're not happy with this at all…" He looked up with his one eye. But slowly a smile appeared on his face.

"Naw…I'm not mad a bit. In fact, I think it's perfect! I know I seemed depressed before…but no, no…not at all…" I stared for a moment at his smiling face before I smiled too. "Really?" He nodded. I smiled wider and leapt into his arms, happy now that I knew it would be okay…

*~*~*~*~*


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

I had never asked before because I had probably never thought of it or it just didn't seem to be important. But it was! It was the reason behind why he had been there. I had never asked Buck about his family…his parents, maybe siblings, or anything. But the day came when I would learn about that and why he had left them. It all happened a week before we were introduced, Buck included, to the neighbors of Manny, Ellie, Crash, Eddie, Sid, and Diego's old home, the home they lived at when they met Buck in the first place.

An old rhino gasped as he recognized Buck. "This is Buck…? Amelia and Jonathan's son?" He asked. Buck's eyes widened. "How…?" The rhino laughed. "You don't remember me, do you?" Buck shook his head. I watched with interest. The rhino chuckled. "It's me, Charlie, your dad's traveling buddy. I knew him since we were only children and I was there when you were born!"

Buck was blank for about five seconds before he something finally clicked. "Oh! Ya mean yer the rhino who I considered my uncle…inna way…" Charlie nodded. Buck smiled. "Well then…long time no see, eh?" Charlie nodded. "So where have you been all this time…your parents said you ran away shortly after–" Buck shook his head. Charlie stopped and cleared his throat. "Anyways, what happened?"

Buck told the story about going to the Dinosaur's World. Charlie didn't ask about his eye at all. And as Buck told the story, everyone listened with interest. The story finally ended about an hour later and it was late by then so most of the adults took their children home.

I walked up to Buck and entered his embrace. His fur was so wonderful and soft and his sapphire eyes shimmered like they always did. He was the perfect mate I could ever ask for. It wasn't just his looks that appealed to me, but also his personality and his affection, and that made me so happy to be with him.

"Oh! Who's the girl?" Charlie asked, walking up to us. I answered, "I'm Jade, sir." Charlie nodded. "You look like a ferret." I corrected, "I'm actually a mix of ferret and weasel. My father was the weasel and my mother was the ferret. So I'm a mix!" Charlie's eyes were suddenly full of worry. "Oh…" He then turned and walked away. I turned to Buck who shook his head. I didn't have the heart to ask what was wrong.

.~.~.~.~.

It happened. And it was probably the shock of my life. I woke up the morning a week later to find Buck on a rock nearby, looking extremely depressed. I got up and walked over. He looked up as I approached and turned fully to face me.

"My family is comin'…the full one…" He cringed. I frowned. "And that's bad?" He closed his eyes and nodded once angrily. "Ya don' know what my fam'ly is like…they are exac'ly opposite from myself and…" He trailed off. I walked over and sat down next to him. "Don't you worry…it'll be fine in the end." Though I wasn't exactly sure of this. I knew Buck was hiding something from me, but I wasn't going to push it now because I would soon find out anyway.

At around lunch the next day, they came. We were eating our usual meals when there was a loud scream. We all jumped and only moments later, there came a stampede of several furry creatures, almost one after another.

They stopped and searched the area. As they did so, Buck got up and tried to escape. But then, "_BUUUUUUCK!_" It was a shriek so loud, I had to cover my ears tightly. As the scream stopped, I looked up to see Buck running for his life away from the several over furry creatures, which I finally identified as his weasel family.

But finally, they cornered him and a female stepped forward. She looked very similar, with the same blue eyes and brown and light fur in the same places as him. She spoke clearly and to the point as she addressed Buck, "Oh Buck, sweetie! Where have you been and-and what happened to your eye!?" He stuttered and tried to pull away from the female's grasp, but she pulled him into an embrace by force. He was almost a half a head taller than her.

Buck struggled to get free. The female gasped as she realized this. "I cannot believe you, Buckminster! My own son won't even let his mother give him a hug! That's rude! Have your father and I taught you better!"

Buck swallowed. "I think ya got me…now can ya please let me go?" His mother huffed, but hugged him once more, and then let go. Buck sighed; he looked terrified to see his family. He eyed me through the crowd. I waved. I saw his lips twitch into a smile for a moment before they returned into their frowning position.

"So where 'ave ya been?" A male with almost the same, yet a lot deeper, voice asked. Buck was at a loss for words, so he pointed his finger down. Almost immediately, all of his family looked down at the ground. They didn't have a clue.

"He means underground!" I chimed in. They all turned and I suddenly felt very awkward. Another female walked over. "Who might you be, little ferret?" The girl was very pretty, but seemed also like the nasty type. Her fur was very well groomed and was long and curled on top of her head in a very pretty hairstyle. She had redder fur than Buck and, at the moment, was in an intimidating pose.

"I…" I began, but Buck spoke first and very fast. "Er-name-is-Jade-and-she's-my-mate-and-she's-not-jus-a-ferret-but-a-weasel-too-'cus-her-mum-was-a-ferret-but-her-dad-was-a-weasel-but-its-a-long-story-bout-wha-happen-to-them-and-I-don't-want-Jade-ta-get-upset-and-yeah-I-love-her-'n'-you-can'd-stop-that!"

He inhaled deeply and then started to pant. I don't know how, but I heard every word! Were they really going to be against our love like that, or what was that all about? I didn't know until the reddish female walked up to me and glared hard at me. "You…his mate? And you're a mix breed!"

All I could do was nod. She growled, slapping me in the face. Buck reacted quicker than anyone else. He jumped onto a rock and around everyone and before the reddish female could do anything else, he got in the way and grabbed her claw-like hand. "_STOP!_" He bellowed darkly. He used little force to knock the female to the ground.

She gasped and she hit the dusty, dirty earth. After about a moment of trying to figure out what happened, she turned to Buck who had helped me up and was now holding me close. He turned back to her, still holding me, and glared, "Don' you ever hurt her again! If ya try it, I will **NOT** hesitate ta bring you **DOWN**!"

And with that, he turned away with me still in his arms, clinging to him. No one moved. Buck whispered to me, "There's a reason why I didn' want them comin'…" He looked down at me and explained, "That girl is Angela…suppose ta be perfect…and she was chosen to be my mate by my parents when I was younger.

"They understood I was different an' thought I could be like them if I became Angela's mate. I can't though…an' that is why I ran away. The main reason." By now, he was carrying me, and he soon placed me in the usual bed we stayed in together.

He sighed. "They don' approve of anythin' but pure-blooded creatures like me. Anythin' that is a pure weasel is acceptable; no ferret blood either. Not a species in the middle. That's why I knew it would be difficult if they met ya…and I'm sorry I didn' explain before."

I waited until he was comfortable lying down next to me before I wrapped myself around him and let him do the same to me. He sighed, "I'm not 'bout ta give up in the fight against my family. I will always be differen' from them…and that's how I wan' ta be!" I nodded and closed my eyes. It wasn't long before I was asleep…

*~*~*~*~*


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

It had only been a day and I already knew they didn't like me. Buck's family also kept asking about the story of what he had done all this time and more or less his right eye with the leaf patch. I tried to get them away, but they all shunned me and would avoid contact just because they now knew I wasn't a pure blood.

Buck seemed to take real offense by their behavior and did all he could to stay with me and not talk to anyone in his family. But there were times when he had outbursts. The girl, Angela, was very annoying. I soon learned why about two days after they had come.

I was half asleep that morning and was dreaming peacefully. But at that moment, someone shouted mainly to Buck who was right next to me, "Wakey! Wakey! Buck, you silly sleepyhead! Come on sweetie! Up you go!" We both jolted up and Buck turned and glared into Angela's smiling face.

"Ya really needed ta disturb the harmony and peace, didn' ya?" He muttered. She laughed girlishly and attempted to give him a hug. He got out of her reach and held up his index finger. "No! I will not 'ave any hugs from **you**, so don' try it!" She pouted. "I don't see why you can't just accept your mates hug!"

Buck growled. "You are not my mate!" She rolled her eyes. "That's not what your parents said!" Buck hissed, "They are not in control or in charge of me! I am not little anymore! Just give it up an' leave me alone! Accep' that I don't care about you…"

She looked as though she could cry. She turned and glared hard at me. "Muddy Blooded Bitch!" She screamed. Buck gasped and almost lunged at her. But she was already gone! He growled as his ears drooped. "It's happenin' all over again…"

.~.~.~.~.

It was about a week later and I was so depressed. Buck's family was really being hard on me and I felt terrible. My mood swings were starting up and were making it worse too. Buck did everything he could to keep me calm and happy. He knew how to make me stop crying, be at least a little happy, and knew how to take some of the pain away. But I would have been happier if they just left.

"Buck," I listened as his mother talked to him. "Why are you going against everything we taught you? You ran away and we were heartbroken. And what's worse is that your 'mate' as you call her has Muddy Blood." At this, Buck turned around and began to leave, trying to hold back all his anger he would've directed at his mother. But she ran after him and started again.

"She's not good enough for you! You know that! And–" Buck turned on her. "Jus' shut yer mouth! She's the perfect mate! Better than anyone, especially Angela! So shut it and stop sayin' that! She may be a half-breed, but that isn't bad!" His mother was taken aback. She spluttered and stuttered with her next sentence.

"You…Buck! Don't…no! Don't you dare talk to me like–" Buck groaned loudly and dramatically. "Ya still keep actin' like I'm still little!" He stood to his full. "That's pretty stupid to say considerin' that I'm taller than you! Stop treating me like a child and let me make my own choices for once!"

His mother sighed. "But why can't you love a pure-blood weasel? You know that it would be much better! It's been like that for many generations!" I finally noticed that most or many all of the rest of Buck's weasel family were now watching and listening. Some of them, I know, could see me, but they weren't paying any attention.

Buck laughed, "Well, hate ta dissapoint ya, but it's 'bout ta change, much to the families disapproval!" His mother stared for a moment before asking, "What do you mean?" At this point, Buck was smirking in the same way he used to when I first met him.

"Ya don' get it, do ya? Try thinkin' 'bout what I jus' said! 'Ere, I'll wait till ya get it or give up…go on!" His mother looked down in thought and now other weasels in Buck's family were coming out into the open. I waited anxiously, knowing all too well what Buck was talking about. I was afraid though…I was afraid that this situation might end up badly for me.

His mother looked back up into her son's face and shook her head, unable to find the answer. Buck sighed, "You and the rest of the family were all usually extremely clueless…" He shook his head. "I'll give you a clue…what happens _sometimes_ when two mammals of any sort come together in a little love fiasco?"

His mother gasped. "You…her…did that?" He nodded, "And…yer almost there, mum! Almost got it!" She looked as though she was going to cry. "No!" Buck made an annoyed grumble and then walked away from his mother and his family. "Jade!" I should've known he'd know I'd be there.

I came out from hiding. "Y-yeah?" I half mumbled, half stuttered. He shook his head. "Sorry I had ta spill the truth! I jus' needed ta get her ta realize that she can't change my mind an' can't control me like she may think she can!" I nodded. "It's fine…" And I walked into his embrace…

*~*~*~*~*


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"You two did what!?" Buck's father shouted at us. I flinched and clung to Buck who wasn't shaken at all. His father noticed this reaction and shouted, "Get yer dirty hands off my son, you half-breed!" I let go instantly and stepped back. But Buck stepped back too and wrapped his left arm around me.

His father sighed impatiently. "First you deny everything we taught you as a child, then you run away, after that you ruin yer eye and become exactly what we were afraid you would become, and finally, you mate with a half-breed! Why would you betray yer own family, Buck!?"

Buck leaned in towards me and whispered, "At least I didn't change my name. Right?" His father growled, "At least we have that to thank you for! But look at you! Yer a complete mess!" Buck closed his eyes impatiently. "At least I'm bein' me! If it were up to all of you, I'd be a double of **you**, Dad or somethin' similar!"

His father put his hands on his hips. "At least that woulda been better than this!" Buck lunged at his father, with all the eyes of his family on him. With one swipe of his sharp nails, he scratched his father hard on the side, sending him to the dusty ground where he rolled for a while before he finally stopped and gripped his side.

His father looked up, still clutching his side. "How dare–?" Buck interrupted, "I've been waitin' ta do that one fer a while now!!!! How'd ya like that!?" His father got up. "Fine, you want to fight! I'll give you a fight!" He lunged, but Buck dodged easily. "I wouldn' try fightin' the most powerful weasel yull ever meet, Duddy-kins!"

His father sneered. "And that's you?" Buck smirked. "You bet!" He smiled darkly. And the two weasels began to fight. Now the herds from all over were watching. My siblings pulled me away from the fight as Buck pulled out his knife where he always kept tied to his back by vines just in case. His father stopped. "What the heck is that!?" Buck smirked, "Like I said once, _An eye for a tooth_!" His father gasped. "So Charlie was telling the truth about how you got yer eye injured! I guess that fang is proof! Okay, then I get a weapon too! It's only fair!"

Buck nodded as his father took from his mate, Buck's mother, a sword-like weapon that you would see in a fairytale with princes and dragons. This one looked like it was made from a very strong metal substance.

"Okay! Let's go! Everyone step back!" Buck looked at his father's weapon. It was a bit larger than Buck's fang and looked much more powerful. But I knew Buck wouldn't give up. He nodded and took his stance. The two weasels looked at each other for less than ten seconds before the fight began.

You would think that the person with the greater weapon would have the advantage, but Buck was definitely swifter and more coordinated, surpassing his father by a lot. Buck had skills that his father did. But this didn't last forever.

After what seemed like forever, Buck got knocked over. He was panting, but got up. His father laughed, "Think you'll be the hero, do you?" Buck clenched his teeth, jumped up, and flipped onto an iced over lake. He smirked, "Let's make this a little more interestin', shall we Duddy-kins?"

His father looked at the ice. "Is this safe?" He asked. Buck laughed darkly, "Why don't you come and find out! Or are you afraid!" Now, after seeing Buck's father's reaction, I'm sure he had the kind of attitude that tells anyone that he didn't like to be called a coward, even if what he was about to do was the most dangerous thing in the world!

Buck's father ran at him, but missed by a long shot as he skidded on the ice right past his son, and finally fell. "Is that all you got, Dud?" His father stood up. "Not by a long shot!" He ran again, more carefully this time, but Buck was done playing. I had never seen swift and fluid movements on ice. He was a natural.

Several slashes later, Buck had pinned his father against a rock with no way out, Rudy's fang at his father's throat. Jonathan looked up at his son with huge eyes that looked so similar to his son's shimmering ones. The only difference was they also had green in them. Buck looked as though he was going to kill him and I felt my whole body go stiff. But then, Buck lowered the fang.

"If you ever 'arm Jade or call 'er somethin' 'orrible like that again, I will not 'esitate to bring you and anyone who tries to defend you all down!" He turned away like a whip and began to walk towards me. But before he could get to me, his father slashed at him.

Buck dodged it, but while doing so, he dropped his knife, his leaf patch fell off, revealing his injury. His right eye was scarred and black and in the place where his eye should've, there was dried blood. Buck didn't even cover it up. He looked, his expression a knowing one, around with his good eye at all the horrified faces.

I rushed forward, tears flowing down. Buck looked at me with his good eye as I approached. I gave and small whimper and sniff before I wrapped my arms around him. He wrapped his arms around me. "Oh Buck…does it hurt?" He shook his head. "No, it stopped a while ago. I can accept it…I just hope you can…"

I looked up into his face, at his good, shimmering eye, and at his injured one. It may have not been pretty, but that only showed what had gone through, and I felt so sorry I couldn't have helped him through it or been there with him to support him and perhaps stop it from happening.

"I don't care…as long as you stay with me…I love you…" He smiled at my words and held my head and back as our lips touched. Even against me, he whispered, "I love you too…"


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Buck and I moved slightly after a few seconds of cuddling. Then he reached down and grabbed the patch and retied it over his eye. He turned back to me. "It's better this way…better that I keep it on. I don' think anyone wants ta see that." I shrugged. "I couldn't care how you look. I still love you for who you are…"

Buck's father growled. "I will not have Muddy Blood in my family!" He shouted. "Seize them!" Everyone reacted. Buck pulled me closer as everyone in his family launched themselves at us. I clung to Buck. His expression was unreadable and he seemed to be oblivious to what was going on. But as the family got closer, at the very last second, he took me and jumped higher than I had ever seen above all of his family.

We landed and Buck began to run, keeping me close. Buck's father was the closest to us and he was fast. He was quick as darted in front of us and grabbed a hold of me! I screamed as he pulled me against him with his sword at my throat.

Buck gasped. "Dad! No! Don't do this! Let her go!" He pleaded. His father didn't listen. He tightened his grip on me and pressed the sword further to my throat. Buck's eyes filled with tears. "She's one of the only ones who has really made me truly happy! If you care at all about what I feel, you'll let her go!"

His father's grip around my arm tightened so hard that his nails dug through the sleeve of my dress and pierced my skin that I cringed and gave a little cry of pain. "Shut it!" His father ordered. I shut my mouth and waiting for the pain to cease as Buck's father turned back.

Jonathan turned back to his son. "I'll give you a choice…you can mate with Angela and we'll pretend that this never happened and this Muddy Blood will go free. If you try to fight even a little, I'll slit her throat. I think you'll feel better if she's alive, but that's yer choice!"

Buck was shaking violently. He closed his eye and hung his head in defeat. But I realized then that it was up to me to save myself and to get back to Buck. I needed to free myself somehow. I had battled dangerous animals before, so why couldn't I take Buck's father?

But I was too late! As I tried to figure out a plan, I felt Jonathan's sword his against the back of my head. The blow was so hard that I fell into unconsciousness. I didn't know what happened after that as the only thing I saw was Buck's stunned face before I closed my eyes and fell.

.~.~.~.~.

_I opened my eyes to find a familiar place that I had been to only once before. I had been to this place when I was attacked before and Buck had come to my rescue. It was where I had seen my deceased mother, a ferret. She was the one who told me that Buck and I were destiny. But now I wondered if it was true._

'_Jade…' I turned and smiled with tears at my father. His angelic form of a weasel, similar to my mother's was so amazing to me. 'You've done well, sweetheart. And I'm sorry we couldn't explain the future to you. It was against us.' I nodded, looking away._

'_But don't give up hope," My mother chimed in as she appeared next to my father. 'It's not over yet. I'm sure that this change in Buck's family will be fine in the end. You just need to prove that you are a worthy mate, which you are, Jade!' I smiled slightly. 'You really think so…they seem to hate me real bad! I don't know what to do!' _

_My parents smiled knowingly. 'I know you'll find a way. You're an amazing girl. Buck is, at the moment, fighting still with his father. The moment his father knocked you out, Buck began to fight again. In fact, Buck was so angry that he nearly killed his own father. But Buck has a heart and could never do so. And that's what makes him worthy. He could never kill the one or ones who have hurt him the most. And that is what makes him so great for you. Because I know you would do the same…'_

_I smiled as a happy tear rolled down my cheek. My father walked over, and his touch felt weird yet wonderful. It was something I couldn't comprehend. I looked into my father's face. He was smirking. I looked blankly at him. 'What?' He chuckled. 'They wouldn't be able to separate you anyway. The baby is what keeps you together. Only if they k…' He stopped. 'Never mind.' _

_I couldn't help but smile. 'I don't think they could kill me with Buck around. He's practically invincible!' My mother laughed. 'Maybe…but you love him…and he loves you…' I nodded happily, bringing my furry hands up to my heart. My parents smiled at each other and then at me. 'Then you'll have nothing to worry about,' my father said. 'And you will always be together,' my mother added. _

_My parents looked at each other. 'We might as well give you some information you'll need for the future…Buck's family isn't fully a pure-weasel family. There is one descendant still alive who has some DNA of a ferret. That is what will end it. You must uncover who it is!'_

_I nodded without a question, understanding I wouldn't get any other information about that out of them. And now finally, they said together before they disappeared, 'And one day, while you're still living, you will come here to meet us together…in your dreams…and you won't be alone that time…' I smiled at that thought as I closed my eyes and whispered to the spot where my parents once were, 'Thank you…I love you both…'_

.~.~.~.~.

I woke up to the sound of heavy breathing. It seemed that this creature had just recovered from a tantrum and was still slightly hyperventilating. As I started to feel the rest of my body through the numbness, I felt the light touch of a hand on my stomach, right where the baby would be. I took a breath and heard the creature gasp and speak in the voice I knew too well.

"Jade?" I slowly opened my eyes and smiled. Buck's eyes were red from his tears and he looked as if he hadn't eaten either. I looked up into his watery eyes. "What?" He said nothing, but scooped me up in his arms and held me close, bringing his head to my shoulder. "I won' let them do that again!" He whispered, his voice cracking. "I can't lose you! I love you, Jade! Yer the mos' importan' one to me now! I won' let them 'arm you! Ever!"

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. I shushed him as he cried against me. He kept muttering things I couldn't hear, but I had a sense that it was the same thing over and over again. He did care…and he wouldn't let anything happen…ever…

*~*~*~*~*


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It was bad. Something I didn't want to happen. Not only was it I who was being shunned by Buck's family, but Buck himself. Ever since the fight, Buck was taking extra caution. He suggest once that we moved back to the Dino World through the place where I had fallen when I went there the first time. But I mentioned that the horrible beasts might hurt me, so he reconsidered.

This whole time, the rest of the herd and my siblings seemed to be not taking part in the fights and arguments, but stayed on the sidelines instead. The pure-weasel family shunned them, but they were safe. It was because they weren't the ones who were trying to break the weasel's tradition.

But Buck's sisters – Thia, Talia, Emma, May, and Carla – and bothers – Ben, Cody, Jack, Cedric, and Carlo – began to pick on them. All Buck's sisters except Emma kept trying to create a catfight with Amy, Lily and Alex while all the boys except Cody kept making dirty jokes and comments about our family. Cody and Emma were the only ones who were actually nice to them. The two were twins and were more like Buck in the ways that they didn't care about whether a creature was pureblood or half-breed. They were the only ones who understood Buck…and they both found an interest in my siblings.

"Oh wow! That's so pretty! How'd you do it?" Emma asked Lily. They were staring at a rock shaped like a flower that was rather interesting and well made. "Buck taught me! It's my greatest treasure!" Lily replied. Emma stared at the flower with amazement.

"So," Lily began. "Do you have a special treasure?" Emma nodded. "It was a treasure that has a twin that was given to me, and the other to my twin Cody, by Buck when he left. We were the only ones he told that he was leaving. He trusted us and we understood that he couldn't stand living the way our parents wanted him to live. We knew it was better that he was free! We let him go and he gave us each a necklace made of a special vine that can't break easily with a sapphire."

She took out from her under her top a necklace that was probably the most beautiful stone that Lily had ever seen. It was shaped like a star and sparkled with the shine of the sun. Lily exhaled, "That's so cool! I can't believe how beautiful that is! Your brother is really gifted!" Emma nodded.

"I'm glad ya think so!" They turned to Buck and me. Lily walked up to Buck with a smile, "Buck, how'd you make that star?" Buck glanced at his sister's star necklace. "Oh! I'm jus' good with my hands is all!" Lily smiled wider. "Can you make any shape!?" She asked excitedly. Buck shrugged. "Almost…it all depends on the materials ya use!" Lily nodded, glancing at her stone flower.

It was then that I felt something moving in my lower stomach. It could only be one thing: the baby. I gasped and then smiled. Buck turned towards me. "What?" I motioned him to come closer and whispered in his ear. He nodded. "Aye! That's reason'ble!" Lily and Emma looked at each other and then at Buck and me. "What is it?" They asked together.

Buck waved it off. The two girls pouted and pleaded, "Pretty Pleeeease!" Buck chuckled and winked at me before turning back to the girls. "You'll prob'ly understan' when yer older! I don' think you'd be that interested in babies an' that kind of thing!" Then, faking that he realized he spilled the beans, he covered his mouth, "Whoops!" The girls gasped. "Tell us more!" Lily pleaded. Emma nodded.

Buck glanced at me and I gave him a knowing look. He knew what to say and what **not** to say. He turned back to the two young girls. "Well, I can't give up too much to ya…but I can say this…" He turned to Lily. "Yer sis, Jade, is gunna be a mummy soon! And since I helped, I'm the dad." The girl's eyes widened. "Wow! How'd you do it?"

Buck shook his head and made a lips sealed motion. "Can't tell ya! But I can tell ya that the babe jus' kicked fer the first time. That's what we were whisperin' 'bout!" Emma and Lily looked at each other and squealed. I held back a laugh as Buck chuckled. These two girls had no idea the true honor yet responsibility there was in taking care of a baby.

.~.~.~.~.

Much to their parent's dislike, Emma and Cody stayed with Buck and me and the rest of our group every night. Cody had become friends with Corey and Nat easily. And I was sure even then that Cody had a crush on Alex. I couldn't blame him. She was as beautiful as our mother and as gifted as our father had been. She had the most amazing singing voice as did our father did. So…why not like her?

I smiled as I watched Cody and Alex talk about random things. Alex seemed to like him too. When he presented jokes and anything else that said in attempts to be funny, it always worked and we all laughed really hard. He could imitate almost anyone and could act better than I had ever seen. And finally it was revealed that he was only two years younger than Buck. That's even more perfect for Alex!

"Oh!" Cody jumped up. "And I remember when Buck had that fight with Ben, Carlo, Jack, and Cedric all together! Buck showed them both! He was like a one-weasel-wonder! It was awesome! I may have only been four, but I can still remember it! You were so fast and your fluency was amazing! I have never been so impressed! And it was funny how you tied all four of them up!"

Buck laughed. "I guess my name fits me then! More than I knew anyway…" He sighed. "I was always a wild one! When I went to the Dino World, my insanity broke free! But bein' up 'ere again kinda makes me realize I've missed lots…" He turned to me. "But I'm glad that I met you, Jade!" I smiled and he smiled back crookedly.

I turned back to Cody, "So, what other things do you remember?" He smiled and told the next 'Buck Story'. Buck helped in some areas and when it came to going to the Dino World, Buck took over…

…

_Buck was a young fourteen-year-old weasel. He had just run away with only a small bag of food that he and his twin siblings had helped him collect. But Buck didn't know what to do now that he was free from his families' clutches and away from his supposed-to-be mate, Angela. _

_As it got later and later, Buck walked on and was soon caught in a blizzard. His neck-length hair blew in his eyes, but as he tried to pull it away, it refused his touch as it flared in all directions. Buck searched through it and the hale of snow, trying to find his way through the storm. _

_At one point, he was about to give up when he spied a cave not too far off from where he was. He gasped, smiled a little, and pushed his way towards it little by little. As soon as he was safe, he took the food out of his bag. Once he was done and it was all gone, he set the leaves he used to carry the food over himself and went to sleep._

_But it wasn't long till morning, and when it came, Buck heard a loud roar in the distance that caught his ear. He jolted upward and sat there until he heard the same roar again. He got up slowly and made his way, deeper into the cave, towards the sound._

_But as he crept deeper into the cave, he began to see a light. As he came out into the open, he saw so many different creatures. They were dinosaurs that he was sure had been extinct for a long time. But here they were! The whole place was filled with them along with several different habitats like water, trees, a waterfall of lava, several rock formations holding up the entire place, etc._

_Buck had never seen anything like it. "How…?" He whispered in amazement. But as he looked around him, a new idea formed in his head. It would be hard, but he had done a lot of dangerous things in his life. Buck knew that his family would never find him here unless they fell through the ceiling, so this would make a great home._

_It turns out that in the next week, he faced Rudy and lost his eye, but gained the knife of the piece of wood and Rudy's tooth. That was the most horrific experience, and I believed him. Two years later, he met Manny and the others. And then a year and a half after that, he met me. As of now, he was eighteen, and I a sixteen, soon to be seventeen, year old ferret-weasel mix. _

_What an adventure…but it was much more than that…_

.~.~.~.~.

I knew Buck was an amazing guy, but I had never heard the big story of his life. He had always been troublesome. His insanity still lay in the Dino World, but his bravery and power was still with him and it would be forever…

*~*~*~*~*


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I hadn't forgotten what my parents told me in my dream. But who could be the one with ferret in their blood? Did that mean that Buck wasn't a full-blooded weasel either? All the answers came to me about week later. I was getting food alone, much to Buck's worries. He believed I needed protection at all times now because of his family, but in the end, I think this was for the best.

So I was walking by a bush with edible berries when I heard a voice nearby. I walked closer to it. It sounded like someone was upset because they were muttering with a shaky voice. I could barely hear what they were saying. But as I crept closer, staying hidden behind a tree, I heard better what this person was saying, "I should tell them…I shouldn't tell them…I should tell them…I shouldn't tell them…" As she said those words over and over again, she picked the petals of a lily. I watched curiously until she got to the last petal.

"I should tell them!" She sobbed. "But how can I…they'll shun me forever!" I needed to know more. I stepped forward and walked over to Buck's mother, Amelia. She looked up and gasped, "K-keep away from me!" I held up my hands for peace. "I just wanted to help you is all…you seemed really upset…"

Amelia's ears drooped as she relaxed. She tried to speak, but she couldn't. Instead, she turned away and sobbed into her hands. I walked forward and touched her shoulder softly. She flinched, but didn't move away. I smiled sympathetically. "You can tell me what's wrong, but I won't force it out. I just want to help. I've been the parent of my siblings since I was eight. I'm sixteen, soon to be seventeen, now so I think I can be helpful."

Amelia turned. "You really are nothing that we perceived a half-breed would be like. You have a pure heart and you feel and know love, don't you?" I nodded with a smile. "I believe we're all equal. It doesn't matter if we're half-breeds or pure blooded or even a mixture of several things put together. We all have feelings and we're all on this world to live. No one should have that taken away from them."

Amelia smiled and nodded. "Well, I…I guess you can know my secret. I couldn't tell anyone in my family. But I guess I can tell you since I know you won't shun me. It's because we're practically the same." My eyebrow rose in confusion. "What do you mean?" She looked with her shimmering sapphire eyes that were Buck's as well into my emerald ones.

"I'm not a pure blood. My grandfather was a pureblooded ferret while his mate was a pureblooded weasel. When I met Jonathan, Buck's father, it was love at first sight. When I found out he was prejudice against ferrets and half-breeds, I hid that part of me. I have always wanted to tell him, but couldn't because of fear. Buck, we found out, has no real ferret blood in him. He's basically a pureblooded weasel like his father. But Emma and Cody were more like ferrets like me. I told them my history and that they were more like me. They understood and promised not to tell Jonathan.

"I've never told Buck though. When he was born, he took the looks and blood of his father, but I had always been an adventurer like he will always be. Buck got an extreme version of that from me. His personality is from his father and me. But my bravery was destroyed when I attempted to tell Jonathan about my ancestry. I couldn't face him shunning me! So you see…I don't know what to do…"

I pulled her into a hug. She welcomed it and began to cry on my shoulder. I was only slightly taller than her. "It'll be okay, Amelia. I had a ferret mother and a weasel father. Buck loves me for who I am…and like you say, he has his father's qualities. If Jonathan loves you, he'll accept who you are. It may take him time to think it over, but that's to be expected. Just tell him and get it over with. I'm sure you don't want to live like this forever…"

We parted up. She nodded, "Your right, Jade! But I can't do it alone." I smiled. "I always wondered what my parents meant by there being a weasel in your family with ferret blood. Now I know…" Amelia frowned confusedly. "What do you mean? I thought your parents were dead." I nodded and explained my meetings with my parents in my dreams. In the end, Amelia was amazed. "I bet they were amazing! They must be because you are amazing and you must've gotten from them."

I nodded and touched my necklace. "They were…" Amelia looked at the necklace. "What's that?" I explained the fight when I lost my parents and the meaning of the necklace. I had her promise not to tell anyone till it was the right time, and by the time I was done with the story, it was late. "You can come with us to eat. I'm sure you'll feel better if you stay away from your family for a while." She nodded and we walked back.

.~.~.~.~.

As we entered camp again, Buck stood up. "Jade! What took ya so long?" Before I could answer, he noticed his mother and gasped and turned to me. "What is she doin' 'ere?" I rolled my eyes at his harsh attitude. "I invited her! She'll be eating with us. And if she wants to, she can stay with us for the night."

In the end, she did stay. She slept peacefully, I could tell, for the first time in a while. I could tell that seeing Buck and me together had brought those memories of her ancestry and her fear of being shunned by her mate back. I felt bad, and I wasn't about to let her suffer like that. She was now my family. And even if she wasn't, I was going to help her even still. Yes I would…

.~.~.~.~.

The next morning, I woke to the sound of a slightly shouting male voice that I recognized was Jonathan and the pleading, scared voice of Amelia. I listened, pretending to still be asleep as a new voice joined in. It was Buck.

"Ya can't just tell anyone what ta do!" Buck said angrily. "Leave it 'lone an' let everyone make their own choice!" Jonathan growled, "Fine! Ya wan' ta stay with the traitors…just go ahead! I won' stop ya!" I got up at that point as Jonathan walked away. But I could see from where I was that he was on the verge of tears. I joined Buck and Amelia as they turned to me. Amelia's face was wet with tears.

"I tried explaining that I was trying to persuade Buck to come back to our family!" She sobbed. I nodded and hugged her, letting her sob on my shoulder as I shushed her. Buck was confused. He wore an expression that read, 'What I miss?' I ignored it and continued to let Amelia sob over my shoulder. When she gained control over herself, she stepped away.

"I…I can't do it…" I shook my head. "You will be able to when the time comes…don't worry." Buck's eyes darted between the two of us. Finally he sighed and asked, "What are you two talkin' 'bout? Did I miss something that I should know?" I didn't turn, but said, "You'll know what it's time to know and understand."

Cody and Emma, who hadn't seen their mother the night before because they had gone to sleep early, rushed forward to meet their mother. "Mommy! You're here!" Amelia put on a smile as she wiped her eyes. Then she knelt down and hugged her young son and daughter. I smiled. This would make a great picture…if only the digital Kodak camera had been invented by now. Oh well!

Emma was the first to notice her mother's tears, but she understood the reason behind them. "You couldn't tell him?" Amelia nodded grimly. Cody, also understanding, sighed. "You'll have to soon. You'll destroy yourself if you don't." Amelia nodded. "Will all of you help me?" She turned to the twins and me. The three of us nodded. Buck huffed. "What are you talkin' 'bout!?" He nearly shouted.

I turned to him. "A secret…"

*~*~*~*~*


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

And a little less than a week later, the truth came out. Not only did it just come out, it came out in the open so that everyone in the family, plus other herds, heard it. But it wasn't Amelia or I who said it.

It all started in the morning when we were washing in a hot spring. It was only Amelia and I there. I had already taken off my leaf dress and was now resting in the water, soaking up the heat. It wasn't that long before we started up a conversation. Little did we know then that someone was spying and heard the whole thing.

"I can understand your reason for wearing the leaf dress." Amelia was saying. "Insecurity, right?" I nodded without a word. Amelia smiled, "I really like it! What's it made of?" I sat up. "It's made of vines, leaves, a special fur that's really soft. We had a friend who has that fur, so I borrowed it from him. There are a few other materials in it that we found, and all of the materials are Earth-made."

Amelia nodded. "Maybe I could have something like that. Do you think you can make one for me?" I nodded, "Probably!" She smiled and we changed the subject. "So when are you going to tell Jonathan the truth about your ancestry?" Amelia sighed, "I should've known you'd bring that up…"

She looked up at the sky. "I don't really know…I don't think I have the courage to…" I sighed, "Well it's your secret so you have to do it." She looked at me. "Can you do it?" I shook my head. "Like I said, it's your secret." She turned away. "How do you think he'd react if he knew I had ferret blood in my veins?" I shrugged. "Like I said, he might take it weirdly at first. But if he truly loves you, then he'll accept the truth and continue to love you."

It was after that sentence that I heard the snapping of a twig. I got up. "What was that?" Amelia stood up too. "I heard it too!" Her voice was a little shaky. I looked at her with worry in my eyes. I knew then that someone had been there. And they had obviously left by now to tell what he had heard.

I quickly put my leaf dress back on and together, Amelia and I ran back to the main camp area. By the time we were back, we saw Jack, one of Jonathan and Amelia's sons walking up to his father and whispering in his ear.

I gasped and shouted at him, "STOP!" But it was too late to stop him, so as he whispered to his father, Jonathan's face turned redder and redder with anger. When he turned to Amelia and me, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "_**WHAT!**_" We both flinched and I nearly fell from the blast of vibration that seemed to vibrate everywhere.

Jonathan was now inches away and I stepped in front of Amelia as I was protecting her, which I probably was. Jonathan stopped in front of us. "You **BOTH** are half-breeds!?" I shook my head as I heard the rest of the family gasp. I stood my ground, "No, I'm the half-breed! Your mate has less than I do!"

Jonathan roared almost like Rudy had in the Dino World. He turned to Amelia. "I thought you– I thought I could trust you! All that you said was a lie!? HOW COULD YOU!?" Amelia was crying so I spoke up. By now whole herd, including Buck, was here. They watched.

"Your mate was scared you would reject her for not being what you call a pureblood! I found her a short while ago sobbing about telling you the truth. You have to understand that she was scared! She loves you…and she just wanted you to love her back…I don't see why you can't do that…" I looked at the rest of the pureblood weasel family as I realized something.

"Y'know, I bet that there are others in your family who aren't pureblooded weasels! But I bet that they are amazing nonetheless! I can see that you are a perfectionist in a way. You want to be pure and perfect in every way! But you have to know that **NO ONE** is perfect! No one! I'm not! Your mate isn't! And you're not! You can't judge people based off of their ancestry…if they are pureblood, half-breed, or any other type of creature that has a weird DNA running in their veins! Just let it go of your prejudice against anything that isn't pure like you, or you think you are. For all you or I know, you could be a half-breed too. You never know…but that's okay, because we're all here to live…not to fight or to be cruel to each other. We are all equal and are great in our own ways."

I didn't say another word after that. It was all up to Jonathan now. He looked at me, at Amelia, at his family, at the other different herds, and then back at me. The whole area was completely silent for a long time…no one spoke, moved, and everyone was barely breathing. Every creature here was waiting for Jonathan's answer.

He looked at me as the new idea that I presented sank into his mind. I heard a very small gasp escape his lips. He closed his eyes. "My parents were wrong…" He opened his eyes. They were now glazed over with tears. He continued, "They were the ones who taught me to be prejudice against half-breeds and others like that. They made me think that anyone who wasn't a purebred had muddy blood. But you…you just showed a new light to the whole thing. You're right…"

I nodded with a smiled. "Just think of it this way," I began. "New breeds are being made when half-breeds are made. Like I'm a fweaset or a ferret-weasel mix. It's the same for my siblings…and even yours. I don't think you know, but Cody and Emma both have ferret blood from their mother. But that doesn't make them bad. Cody is probably the most hilarious being I've ever met. He can imitate anyone and tells the funniest joke ever. Plus he can act out things that I've never seen before. And Emma is such a sweetheart! She's so smart and willing to listen. She's generous and helpful and truly amazing. She learns quickly and is skilled in many things. She and her twin were the ones who helped Buck escape the day he left…"

Jonathan looked at the twins. His stare wasn't cold or angry. It read amazement and almost knowing. He turned back to me. After a few seconds of pausing, he smiled. "Thank you, Jade. You may be young, but you have the knowledge of the wise. You've shed a new light on my life, and I thank you for that."

I smiled as he opened his arms and allowed me to enter his embrace. I had a good feeling now that I knew it would be okay…but I hadn't done all of this alone. I had to thank my family, the twins, Amelia, Buck, and my parents for their help.

As I backed away from Jonathan, I looked up at the blue sky. It was a sunny day now and the world was peaceful. My family joined me and I knelt down carefully as I hugged my siblings and the twins. As I hugged all of them, I looked up at Buck's knowing expression and smile. He understood and was happy for what I had done. He was thankful…thankful that he didn't have to worry or run any longer…

*~*~*~*~*


	9. Chapter 9 The End of Book 2

Chapter 9

Finally! The clouds of separation, hatred, pain, secrets, and lies had were gone and replaced by ones of happiness, love, new knowledge, willingness, and understanding. Everyone in the new, happy was finally going to live together. It was happy days for everyone…

As I end this story, I want to make a point that it's not over yet…remember that the family line hasn't ended yet. But that story will come later.

It turns out that the weasel family had many half-breeds that were like Amelia, too afraid to tell anyone the truth. But now that they saw what Buck and I had known for a while, they were willing to see everything in a new way.

It was different after the events of that day. I got more praise from a lot of the members who weren't afraid to give it to me. I only had one hater: Angela. She was still unhappy that she hadn't gotten her way and still had a slight grudge. But she didn't dare anything stupid for fear that Buck might get her for it. And that concludes this story…

…till next time…

**FIN**


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